Freaky Sunday
by Little Miss Magnetiser
Summary: Have you ever thought about what would happen if the Brady kids swopped bodies? Could it happen for real? Find out here.
1. Chapter 1

"Honey, won't you have a little more dessert?" Carol Brady asked her husband. "I made it myself".

"Yeah, go on, Dad, it's Sunday after all", said Greg.

"You're allowed to make a hog of yourself if you want to", Peter told Mike. Greg kicked his brother under the table.

"That will do, Peter", his father scolded. "I'm sorry, Carol, I'm just too nervous too eat a big lunch", he continued moodily. "I'm glad it's not every day you have to visit the new senior partner of your firm".

"Oh, Mike", remonstrated Carol, "I'm sure Mr. And Mrs. Engelson will be very welcoming".

"And we've promised we'll be on our best behavior", said Peter, "even me. Right, guys?"

"Right", chorused the five other Brady kids.

"And we're all going to look thwell in our new clotheth", lisped Cindy.

"I still don't see why we have to walk instead of taking the car, though", complained Bobby.

"Well, the Engelsons only live in Hollywell Street", said Marcia, "and Jan and I thought the Bradys should do something for the planet, so I suggested to Mom that maybe we could get there through the park".

"It sure is a nice day for walking", agreed Jan.

"Huh", said Bobby, slumping in his chair.

"Bobby, I thought you just said you were going to be on your best behavior", Mike told him, still in a bad mood. "Now eat up, and don't let me hear you whining again".

"I'm sorry", said Bobby. Over on the other side of the table, he could see Peter and Jan conferring about something or other. Marcia was picking at her dessert and looking a little withdrawn. Carol and Greg seemed to be cheerier as Cindy told them about what she'd been doing in school. Once everyone had finished eating, Peter stood up.

"Hey, I've got an announcement to make", he said. "Once we're done clearing the table, can all you guys gather in the living room".

"Whatever you're doing, just don't let it be too long", warned Mike. While the rest of the family cleared the dining space, Peter seemed to be in half a dozen different places at once, asking to borrow things and running up and down the stairs with various bits and pieces. Finally, the seven other Bradys, along with Alice, were seated in the living room. Bobby noticed Alice had her cassette player with her. Peter stood up in front of them all.

"Lay-deez and gen'almen", he announced in a fairground barker's tone, "this afternoon you are about to experience somethin' fantastic, somethin' amazing, somethin' truly unique!"

"You certainly know how to milk it", commented Greg.

"Is this another magic show?" asked Carol, looking a little dubious.

"First of all, I would like a volunteer from the audience". Bobby and Cindy put their hands up but Peter pointed to Jan. "The young lady in the glasses. Would you like to sit down here, please?" Peter had two chairs facing the audience, with a small box in between them.

"Now, if you'd like to put this special helmet on your head", he told her, "and I will place this one on mine". The 'special helmets' were kitchen colanders with coiled pipe cleaners attached to them. "What's going on here?" asked Mike. Peter seated himself on the other chair. "And now may I have another volunteer to flick the switch?"

"I'll do it", said Carol, walking over to the switch, which was placed on the coffee table. "Hey, that switch looks just like the one from our old train set", yelled Greg. "Well, just see what it can do", Marcia told him, determined to enjoy the show.

Carol flicked the switch. Immediately, Peter and Jan started jerking around in their seats with their arms and legs splayed, while weird mechanical sound effects came from Alice's cassette player. Cindy began to giggle, and then the rest of the audience relaxed and started to laugh. And laugh. Hey, they really are funny, thought Bobby. As the sound effects sped up, Jan and Peter's movements grew more and more frenetic, until there came a sound like a machine malfunctioning. Immediately, they stopped, and just sat blinking open-mouthed as Alice, still laughing, stopped the tape. Jan was the first of the two to speak.

"Members of the Brady family and Alice, you have just witnessed the first ever body transplant in the history of the entire universe. I, Peter Brady, am now in the body of Jan Brady and Jan Brady is in the body of ME!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, it'th jutht like in my Freaky Friday book!" smiled Cindy.

"I don't believe you", cried Peter, grabbing Marcia's vanity mirror from the box and gazing into it. "Oh, heavens to Betsy, it's true", he cried in an anguished tone, holding his hand up to his face. "I am in Peter's body! How gross!"

"What a ham!" Alice and the rest of the Bradys were laughing even harder – Cindy was beside herself with giggles.

"Hey Jan, look! Now I've got long blonde hair, I can pretend to be Robert Plant", yelled Jan-as-Peter, and started swishing her hair around.

"You give me back my glasses, Peter Brady, you creep", shouted Peter-as-Jan. Jan-as-Peter thumbed her nose at her brother and flipped her hair so that it covered her face. She picked up a hat from the box and put it on. "Hey, now I'm Cousin Itt", she snickered. "Honestly, you kids", said Carol.

"Well, how about this?" said Peter-as-Jan in an especially prissy voice. "Mom was going to take me to the store on Wednesday to get fitted for a new bra. Only it looks like she'll be taking you now".

"Oh no!" Jan-as-Peter parted her hair to reveal a shocked, open-mouthed face as the audience fell about laughing. "That's the end, now", she told them. Bobby and Cindy began to applaud, and the rest of the audience joined in as Peter and Jan took their bows.

"Boy, I wish I could be as funny as you two", Greg told them. "That certainly beats the magic show. How long have you been working on that for?"

"We were going to put it on for you later in the week", explained Jan, "but we thought you needed cheering up today". Mike gave a big grin, and went over to shake hands with the two entertainers. "I've gotta tell you, Peter", he said, patting him on the shoulder, "I never expected to hear you announce that you were being fitted for a bra".

"I surprise you all every day, don't I?" Peter grinned back. "I'm sorry I forgot my manners earlier on".

"I'll forgive you this time", said Mike with a wink.

"I must say, that certainly lifted us out of the doldrums", said Carol. "Now Bobby and Cindy, before we start getting ready to see the Engelsons, I want you both to take a nap".

"But Mom, we're not little kidth", Cindy protested.

"That's put us right back in the doldrums", complained Bobby.

"Listen, you know you were down here till late last night watching TV, so you have to make up for it now", Marcia told them. Well, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, thought Bobby. I'm going to pay you back by taking your vanity mirror.

"And besides", continued his eldest sister, "I'm going to have a nap myself". Bobby grabbed his Superman comic from the coffee table and, when no-one was looking, snuck over to the box and hid the mirror inside it. "I suppose if we gotta have a nap, we'd better go now", he groused, trudging over to the stairs. "Good boy, Bobby", Carol told him.

The two youngest Bradys were still grumbling as they climbed the stairs behind Marcia. "I wish I could be someone else in this family", said Bobby. "I wish I could too", replied Cindy.

"I tell you what", said Marcia, turning round "that's the third time I've heard somebody say 'I wish' in the last five minutes. If I were superstitious, I might think that all of those wishes were going to come true".

Bobby stuck his tongue out behind Marcia's back as she and Cindy went into the girls' room. Wandering into the boys' bedroom, he took the stolen mirror from his comic and thrust it down the side of his mattress. Kicking off his shoes, he lay down on the bed. Come to think of it, he was feeling kind of sleepy after all...


	2. Chapter 2

"Wake up, wake uh-up."

Bobby opened his eyes to see Marcia, with Jan beside her, looking down at him and laughing. Marcia was so annoying - she'd encouraged Jan to come into the boys' room with her, just to disturb him.

"You've been napping for long enough now," giggled Marcia.

"Mom says she can't wait to see us all in our new clothes. Come on," said Jan. As the girls hurried from the room, he saw they both had their hair up and were wearing their new dresses. He also noticed that this wasn't the boys' room after all but the girls' bedroom - with the flowered wallpaper. And this wasn't his bed but Cindy's. Was that the reason he had Cindy's frilly slip on – wait a minute, whatever was he doing wearing one of Cindy's slips? With a sense of trepidation, he lifted both hands to either side of his head ... yes, those were Cindy's pigtails! It was just like in Peter and Jan's skit - but this was happening for real. Jumping off the bed, he hurried to the bathroom. In the mirror, he saw the shocked face of his younger sister staring back at him.

"Bobby?" Through the doorway leading to the boys' bedroom, he could see a very familiar figure – his own! It was slowly dawning on him what had happened.

"You're Thindy!" he exclaimed. Bobby even had his sister's lisp now. The figure nodded sheepishly. "That's right. You're me and I'm you". Bobby gazed at Cindy with her freckled face, wearing the jeans and football shirt he himself had worn to lunch. Cindy gazed back at Bobby with his wide blue eyes and blonde pigtails.

"But how'd it all happen?" asked Bobby. "I wath thtill me when I laid down for my nap".

"Same with me", replied Cindy. "But I think we'll just have to go through with being each other – well, for this afternoon, at least. You know how important this visit is to Dad".

"Come and show me which dreth to wear", lisped Bobby. There was a very charming sleeveless white dress ready to be put on, with a pretty tiered skirt. Imagine it, thought Bobby, me wearing a dress. He really didn't want the rest of the family to know what had happened to him and Cindy. Especially his brothers. He could just hear the snickers from the two of them if they ever found out.

Standing in front of the girls' mirror, Cindy helped him on with his dress – yes it was his now. Bobby couldn't imagine how he and his sister would ever swop back into their own bodies. There was also a pair of Mary Jane shoes to put on.

"I gueth we jutht have to try not to panic", Bobby told his sister.

"That's right", said Cindy. "Let me do your hair for you now". Cindy insisted on sitting Bobby in front of the girls' dresser, brushing his hair out and rebraiding it. "Robert Brady, stop scowling like that", admonished Cindy. "That's still my face, and I don't want lines on it".

"Well, you might just have to put up with it, Thynthia Brady", Bobby retorted. "Hey, maybe I should get a big ring put through my nothe".

"In that case, I'll just go out wearing lipstick", his sister replied. "Okay, that's your hair done, show me which clothes I need to wear". Over in the boys' room, there was a gray suit, a white shirt and a new tie waiting. "Don't look at me while I'm changing", Cindy told him. "Hey, why not?" Bobby exclaimed. "That happenth to be my body. I know eckthactly what it lookth like".

"Yes, well I still don't want you seeing it".

"Fine". He turned and started trudging to the bathroom, staring down at his Mary Janes. Just then, he heard the door open. Turning round, he saw Cindy with her arms crossed over her flat, bare chest, screaming at Greg, who had just come in.

"Bobby, what's the matter?" asked Greg in surprise. "Quit screaming like a girl. We all know what you look like without your shirt on".

You need to learn to knock", replied Cindy huffily, turning her back on Greg and putting on the white shirt. "Anyway", Greg told her, "don't be too long getting dressed. Look at Cindy; she's all ready to go". He gave a shrug at what he took to be his sister and went out again. "We gotta hurry now", Bobby told Cindy as she started putting on the suit. "Come on, I'll help you with your tie". Cindy smiled gratefully.

Once Cindy was suited up, the two of them hurried downstairs, where their brothers and sisters were waiting. Greg and Peter were wearing suits and ties like Cindy – Peter's was cream while Greg's was light brown. Looking at Marcia and Jan's new dresses again, Bobby noticed they were in a similar style to the one he had on. "All of you look wonderful", enthused Marcia. "But Cindy, remember to keep your shoulders back". Heck, Marcia was still getting on his nerves.

"It's not every day you see us kids looking so smart" observed Jan. "I've got the Polaroid – we'll take photos".

"And we'll have the basket of ferns in the pictures!" said Marcia excitedly. "All the boys first – Bobby, you hold the basket."

Cindy picked up the basket and stood in front of the staircase. Bobby noticed she was smiling with her head tilted to one side, which would have been fine if Cindy had actually looked liked Cindy, but on a twelve year- old boy it was ridiculous.

"Aw, come on, Bobby, are you expecting us to give you a lollipop?" mocked Peter. "There's no need to be sarcastic", Cindy retorted, holding her head up. "Oh, boo hoo", said Greg, as he and Peter got into position behind Cindy. "Smile!" yelled Jan as she took the picture.

"Now one of all us girls" said Marcia, holding Bobby by the shoulders. Bobby was hating every minute of this. Cindy handed him the basket as Jan passed the camera to Greg. Bobby figured that if he was supposed to be Cindy, it might be a good idea to tilt his head in the way she'd done. He did his best to give a beaming smile.

"Cindy, give me a proper smile, that one's just phoney", complained Greg. Bobby responded by sticking his tongue out instead.

"Oh Cindy, that isn't like you", remarked Carol, coming down the stairs with Mike. Both Brady parents were also wearing smart new outfits. Bobby thought his mother and father couldn't look more polished, down to the folded red handkerchief sticking out of Mike's breast pocket and the white lace gloves gracing Carol's hands. He set down the basket of ferns and hoped that neither he nor Cindy would do anything too terrible to spoil the image of the picture-perfect family. Alice emerged from the kitchen, where she had been hard at work doing the dishes.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to knock the photo session on the head now, kids", announced Mike. "We've got to be at the Engelsons' house at 3.30 sharp. But just before we go, your mother's got something for you".

Carol opened the handbag she was holding to reveal three pairs of white lace gloves for the girls and three red handkerchiefs for the boys. "Just to finish off your outfits", Carol said warmly. "How about that?" remarked Alice. Jan and Marcia ooh-ed and aah-ed over the dainty gloves, while Greg and Peter rushed to the nearest mirror to fix their handkerchiefs.

Bobby was thinking that as far as humiliations went, fancy lace gloves topped the lot. When their parents weren't looking, he pulled a face at Cindy, who was having trouble folding her handkerchief properly. "Give that to me, son", said Mike to his daughter, and folded the handkerchief in the correct way, before sticking it in her breast pocket. "Bobby, now you look like a real little gentleman", Carol told Cindy, and kissed the top of her head.

Meanwhile, the real Bobby was finding his lace gloves far too fiddly. "Give me your hands, sweetie", said Carol and eased one glove on, followed by the other. "Well, little Miss Cynthia, now you look like a real lady", smiled Jan.

At that moment, Greg stepped up to Bobby and gave a deep bow. "Milady", he said, and took his brother's hand in a courtly gesture, leading him to the center of the room. Cindy caught Bobby's eye at exactly the right moment, and quickly bobbed a curtsey in the gray suit to show him what to do. Bobby took the hint and, holding out his skirt, made a deep curtsey as Greg bowed again. The rest of the household stood enchanted at the charming brother-and-sister moment. "Oh, bless your heart, Cindy", cried Alice, wiping away a tear. Meanwhile, Bobby was trying very hard not to laugh. If only Greg knew who I really was, he said to himself.

"Alright then, kids, let's get this show on the road", yelled Mike. "Cindy, sweetheart, are you okay carrying the basket?" His youngest son nodded. "Off we go, then".

"Come on, the Engelsons'll be waiting", said Carol, shoo-ing everyone out of the house. "Have a nice time", said Alice as they left. The picture-perfect image was still intact when the Bradys got to the park. "Marcia, it was such a good idea of yours to walk", said Carol. "It's the most wonderful afternoon".

There were flowers everywhere, and people picnicking or walking their dogs. Jan and Peter led the way, laughing and joking; then Bobby and Cindy about a yard behind, with Bobby still clutching the basket of ferns. Mike, Carol, Greg and Marcia brought up the rear, discussing the impending visit and the scene around them. "Look how many people have their dogs off their leashes", Bobby heard Marcia saying. "I'd be too nervous to do that".

"If it's a well-trained dog, and the owner knows what he's doing, then it won't be a problem", Mike told her. "I think everything's going to be okay", remarked Cindy to Bobby, as he clutched the handle of the basket tightly in his white gloved hands. "But remember what Marcia said, keep your shoulders back". Bobby nodded, but he was really more interested in what Peter was saying to Jan. He seemed to be describing some kind of prank. "You certainly come up with some far-out ideas", Jan was saying.

"Boy, I bet the two of them had a shock when they woke up", exclaimed Peter, as Jan burst into giggles. Bobby and Cindy looked at each other as they realised what had happened. Peter was responsible! One way or another, he'd actually swopped their bodies! He knew precisely what mortifying experiences they'd just been going through. And now Jan did too. And she thought it was hilarious!

"We'll show those dummies!" yelled Bobby to Cindy. The two youngest Bradys ran straight over to Peter and Jan. Reaching inside the basket, Bobby grabbed a handful of soil and plastered it all over the back of his brother's cream jacket. Cindy grabbed Jan's glasses from her face and hurled them into a very broad and muddy puddle nearby.

"Hey, whaddaya think you're doing?"

"My glasses!"

From the rest of the family came shocked and angry shouts:

"Cindy, leave your brother alone!"

"Bobby, that's a dreadful thing to do to Jan!"

"Have you guys gone crazy?"

"Stop it, stop it now!"

Jan and Peter ran over to try and retrieve the glasses. Peter skidded and fell down in the puddle, followed by Jan, who landed on her hands and knees. Kneeling back in the muddy water, she lifted up her hands. "My beautiful gloves!" she cried. "And my dress!" As she burst loudly into tears, a very muddy Bobby and Cindy were rolling an even muddier Peter in the filthy water.

"This is all your fault!" Cindy hollered.

"I thuppothe you think it'th funny, thwopping our bodieth like that", cried Bobby, still with Cindy's lisp.

"But all I did was tell Jan about the time I tricked the neighbours on Halloween!" gasped Peter, trying not to swallow the water. "Since when is that so outrageous?"

"Eat mud, Mr. Nutty Professor", yelled Cindy, trying to shove a handful of dirt into Peter's mouth. She was prevented by Mike and Greg, who were trying to separate the vengeful pair from their unfortunate brother. However, they were achieving very little beyond getting as mucky as the younger Bradys. In the meantime, Carol and Marcia were crouched down next to Jan and attempting to comfort her, but to no avail. Jan's howls of outrage were attracting all the dogs in the park who had been allowed to roam free by their owners. In a matter of seconds, the Brady family were being swarmed over by excited dogs, every inch of their brand new clothing was soaked in muddy water, and Marcia was also giving way to tears.

"We can never go to the Engelsons' looking like this, never!" she cried. Carol had passed out in shock, while Mike patted her cheek, looking as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his grimy shoulders. "I wish the ground would swallow me up", cried Jan, still in meltdown.

"I wish the ground would swallow all of us up", groaned Peter, plastered from head to foot in mud.

"Try and keep your cool, everybody – oh, what's the point?" sighed Greg, collapsing back into the puddle.

Bobby was now lying on his back in his sleeveless dress, which would never be white again, while one dog sat on his chest and another started to lick dirt from his legs. Was this punishment for taking Marcia's mirror? Out of nowhere, he remembered what Alice always said whenever she caught the kids fighting – "It's not who starts it, it's who stops it that counts". Bobby had just about had it with this crazy afternoon. He suddenly realised that he was the one who could bring a stop to it all. He raised his right arm and brought the back of his wrist down hard against his forehead.


	3. Chapter 3

He raised his right arm and brought the back of his wrist down hard against his forehead.

"Ouch!"

It was all a lot quieter. There was no park, no dogs. It was just the boys' bedroom back in the Brady house. Bobby had done it; he'd actually managed to wake himself up. He was lying on his own bed – with any luck, the whole being Cindy thing had been a dream. He reached for the mirror which he'd stuffed down the side of the mattress and held it up to his face.

"Neat-o", he murmured as he saw his own freckled face smiling back at him. He lifted up his leg and looked at it. Yes, those were the jeans he'd put on that morning. He got up off the bed and looked out of the window. Mike, Carol, Peter and Cindy were cleaning the car – everything was back to normal. Feeling a lot better, he headed down to the family room. Maybe he had time to watch some TV before everyone got changed.

In the family room, Bobby came across the figure of his oldest brother stretched out on the couch and listening to the stereo on headphones. But what really caught Bobby's attention was that he was wearing a facial mask, and had slices of cucumber covering his eyes.

"Hey, Greg, is that you?" he asked. But there was no reply.

Bobby gulped. Maybe Greg couldn't hear him ... but supposing Greg wasn't even Greg anymore? What if something had happened to swop him and Marcia around? Better go into the girls' room and investigate. Anyway, he still had Marcia's mirror, so he ought to return it to its rightful place.

Heading into the girls' room, Bobby was greeted by the sight of his oldest sister combing her hair – and wearing Greg's robe! "I got your mirror", began Bobby. As the blonde figure noticed Bobby, she (or was it he?) emitted a very loud burp, and turned away, looking mortified.

"Hey, you don't have to be upset", said Bobby, trying to sound reassuring. "I know what's going on!"

"Bobby, you just don't know what it's like, being a girl", came the tearful reply.

"Well, I kinda know what it's like to feel all mixed up and ..."

"Bobby, we don't need you in here", said Jan, coming into the room. "Just leave us alone. And that's Marcia's", she added, snatching the mirror from him.

"But I was only trying to be a good brother", he protested. "You can be a good brother by getting out of our room!" said Jan in annoyance. "And leave our things alone in future!"

"Well, just don't expect me to help the next time something freaky happens!" yelled Bobby, slamming the door.

"Hey, what's going on up there?"

"Thtop making tho much noithe!"

That was Peter and Cindy, calling from the living room. Bobby ran downstairs in a fit of temper.

"I don't know how you can just stand there like nothing's happening", yelled Bobby accusingly at Peter. "You know what you did to Greg and Marcia".

"Huh? Well, I know what I'm about to do to Greg. Have you seen him with that facial mask on?"

"Yeah?" said Bobby.

I'm going to take his picture on the Polaroid", snickered Peter. Cindy giggled. "Hey Jan, what's up?" Jan had followed her younger brother down the stairs.

"Bobby, I wanted to say sorry to you", explained Jan. "Marcia was feeling a little upset back there. I guess you were just trying to be a good brother after all".

"Peter's not a good brother", exclaimed Bobby. "He's swopped Greg and Marcia's bodies! That's why Greg's wearing a face mask and that's why Marcia's wearing Greg's robe. And that's why Marcia burped and that's why she's upset".

Peter, Jan and Cindy looked at one other in bemusement. Then the three of them burst out laughing. "Oh, Bobby, that was only a corny skit. I would never be smart enough to do that in real life you know", Peter told him.

"But we can go upstairs and ask Marcia if she really is Greg", suggested Jan mischievously.

The four of them went upstairs and knocked on the girls' bedroom door. "Hey Marcia, can you help us out with something?" called Peter. Marcia opened the door – she had dried her tears by now. "What can I do for you guys?" she asked.

Jan smiled. "We, uhh, want to know if you're really Marcia or if you're Greg trapped in Marcia's body".

"Am I WHAT?" said Marcia. Then she laughed. "I think you'd better all come inside".

The four younger Bradys came in, sat down and explained about Bobby's mix-up. Bobby didn't say anything about the dream he'd had – in fact, what he most wanted to do was forget about it. "Well, I can explain the robe thing", Marcia told them. "Greg got a new robe just when mine wore out, so I'm using his old robe for now. And I only burped because I'd had too much too eat for lunch".

"And Greg's only wearing a face mask because he's vain", laughed Peter.

"And Marcia being upset, you can just blame on the time of the month", finished Jan.

"What time of the month's that?" asked Peter, looking genuinely confused. Cindy gave him a kick. "Don't you know anything, thilly?"

"I don't think Peter's any the wiser", said Marcia with a wink. "And Bobby, you shouldn't let your imagination run away with you. Come on, I wanna see what Greg looks like with that mask on". Peter grabbed the Polaroid and the five kids headed to the family room. Greg was still stretched out with the headphones on, oblivious to the world under his mask and cucumber slices.

"Well, Greg got his wish", laughed Peter. "He sure looks funny like that".

"He's got Led Zeppelin on", said Jan, looking at the stereo turntable.

"Ugh, I can't stand Led Zeppelin", shuddered Marcia. "There, Bobby, that should prove to you that I'm really me".

Jan insisted on being the one to take Greg's picture. As the flash went off, Peter lifted the needle from the record so that it made an excruciating scratch sound through the headphones. Greg pulled off the headset and peeled away the cucumber slices as his brothers and sisters ran laughing from the room. But Bobby was the Brady kid who rushed back in waving the Polaroid picture in front of his brother's face before dashing out of the room again.


End file.
